LCQ18: Stray cattle
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Question:
Some residents in Mui Wo and Sha Tau Kok have relayed to me that they have all along been troubled by the nuisance caused by stray cattle. Although the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) set up a Cattle Management Team (CMT) in 2011 and implemented a Capture-Sterilise-Relocate programme to control the number of stray cattle, incidents of stray cattle polluting the environment, obstructing traffic, damaging crops as well as attacking residents and picnickers have still occurred from time to time. Some Mui Wo residents have suggested relocating the stray cattle in Mui Wo to Tai A Chau. In August 2016, AFCD sent its staff to conduct site inspections in Tai A Chau and, after conducting a preliminary assessment, considered Tai A Chau a suitable habitat for cattle. However, I have learnt that the relocation plan has yet to be implemented due to insufficient resources. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the number of stray cattle across the territory in each of the past five years, together with a breakdown by District Council district and species of the cattle; whether there is an upward trend in the number of stray cattle in Mui Wo; if so, whether the increase is caused by the natural breeding of cattle, the migration of cattle from other places on Lantau Island to Mui Wo, or other factors; whether it has assessed if stray cattle will pose any threat to the personal safety of residents; if it has assessed, of the outcome;
(2) since the setting up of CMT, of the respective numbers of stray cattle on Lantau Island which have been (i) captured, (ii) sterilised and (iii) relocated by CMT officers, and those (iv) found to have returned to their pre-relocation sites, together with a breakdown of the numbers by whether these stray cattle were found in Mui Wo or other places;
(3) of the number of stray cattle on Lantau Island which were crushed to death by vehicles in the past five years;
(4) of the outcome of the study conducted by AFCD on the installation of cattle grids to limit the movements of stray cattle;
(5) whether the authorities will take forward the plan of relocating the stray cattle in Mui Wo to Tai A Chau; if so, of the latest progress and how the authorities will resolve the problem of having insufficient resources; if not, the authorities' plan to resolve the problem of stray cattle causing nuisance; and
(6) of the current staffing establishment of CMT; whether AFCD will increase the manpower of CMT to expedite the handling of the stray cattle problem?
Reply:
President,
There are divergent views in the community on how best stray cattle should be managed. Some are of the view that stray cattle have ecological value and should be protected. In addition, as part of the community, stray cattle should be allowed to live freely in their original dwelling places. On the other hand, there are views that stray cattle should be relocated because they cause obstruction to traffic, affect environmental hygiene, cause nuisance to the daily lives of residents, and may damage crops at times. To strike a balance among these conflicting views, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) set up in 2011 a dedicated Cattle Management Team (CMT) to manage the issue of stray cattle through a multi-pronged approach, including sterilising and relocating captured cattle, having regard to individual circumstances of the places frequented by stray cattle.
My reply to the various parts of the question is given below:
(1) The species and numbers of cattle in various districts as recorded in a territory-wide population survey of stray cattle commissioned by AFCD in 2013 are set out at Annex. According to the data collected by AFCD since 2011, there has been an increase in the number of stray cattle in Mui Wo due to natural breeding. Some residents living nearby had complained about the nuisance caused by stray cattle. Since the end of 2011, AFCD has implemented the Capture-Sterilise-Relocate programme mainly on Lantau Island and in Sai Kung to control cattle population and reduce the nuisance caused to nearby residents by sterilising and relocating the cattle to a more remote location in the same district.
(2) As at February 2017, the respective number of stray cattle captured, sterilised and relocated in Mui Wo and other places on Lantau Island since the setting up of the CMT is as follows:
| Lantau | ||
| Mui Wo | Other places | |
| Captured* (heads) | 26 | 208 |
| Sterilised (heads) | 26 | 119 |
| Relocated* (heads) | 19 | 187 |
AFCD does not have statistics on the number of stray cattle found to have returned to their pre-relocation sites.
(3) According to the Police's records, there were a total of 17 traffic accidents involving cattle on Lantau Island between 2013 and February 2017.
(4) After numerous site visits and discussions with the animal welfare organisations (AWOs) concerned, AFCD has been exploring the feasibility of installing a cattle grid on a trial basis in Sai Kung Country Park, with a view to preventing the stray cattle from leaving their usual dwelling places. AFCD has been liaising with the relevant departments on the technical feasibility and implications to pedestrians and road users.
(5) Given the divergent views of AWOs, the Government has no plan for the time being to relocate stray cattle to Tai A Chau. However, AFCD is planning to relocate the cattle in Mui Wo to the hills at Tung Wan Tau in the district on a trial basis in order to minimise their movements in urban areas and the nuisance caused to nearby residents.
(6) The current staffing establishment of the CMT is as follows: one Veterinary Officer, two Field Officers II, four Field Assistants and one Driver. The Government will examine from time to time whether the resources are adequate to cope with the management of stray cattle.
Ends/Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:45
Issued at HKT 18:45
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